Danger-signal for railway-cars



D. H. MCGOGY.

DANGER SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CARSv APPLICATIQN F-|LED.ocT. 3, 1919.

1,374,936. Patented Apr. 19, 1921..

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DANGER SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLxcATroN FILED ocT. 3, 1919.

1,374,936. Patented Apr. 19, 1

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DONALD H. MGGOGY, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

DANGER-SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

' Application filed October 3, 1919.

To all whom t may concern:

Be 1t known that l, DONALD l-l. McGocr, a citizen of theA United States,residing at Portland, in the county of li/lultnomah andy State ofOregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Danger-Signals for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toV an improved danger signal for railway cars,being par ticularly designed for use upon street cars.

The invention has as one of its principal objects to provide a signalwhereby a pedestrian having alighted from a car headed in onel directionwill be effectively warned against passing behind the car in front of acar moving in the opposite direction.

The invention has as a further object to provide a signal which will beunder control of the motorman so that the signal will be actuated onlywhen another car is approaching from the opposite direction and dangeris actually present.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a signalemployinga signal obstruction which may be moved to active positionprojecting from the rear of the car, wherein a display warning signalwill also be provided, and wherein an audible signal will further beemployed, the display signal and audiblesignal beingbrought into usecoincidentwith the projection of the signaling obstruction so that thepossibility of a pedestrian passing in therear of the car in front of acar approaching in the opposite direction will be reduced to a minimum.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter z In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a conventional type of street carequipped with my improved car signal,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, parts being broken away andshown in section, this view showing the signaling ob struction extendedto active position,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the visible signal employed,

Fig. 4f is a rear elevationof the signal,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the control valve employedfor actuating the signal as well as the locking mechanism for saidvalve, and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the valve and associated parts.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

Serial No. 328,236.

w Referring now more particularly to the drawings, l have, in order thatthe construction, mounting and operation of my improved signal may beaccurately understood, shown the signal in connection with aconventional type of street car 10 having the usual air storage tank l1.The car is further provided at each' end with a control box, one ofwhich is indicated at 12 and, as 1s usual, a control handle 13 isprovided for selective use in connection with each boX.

Coming now more particularly to the subject of the present invention itshould be initially stated that one of my improved signals is employedat each end of the car. However, since the signals are, of course,identical and operated in a similar manner, a signal at one end of thecar only will be described in detail. An upright housing 14 is employed.This housing may be formed of sheet metal or other approved material andis suitably secured to the adjacent end of the car. As particularlybrought out in Fig. 3, the housing is open at its rear edge and the sidewalls are formed with reduced lower end portions the free margins ofwhich are, throughout the major portion of their length iiared laterallyoutward. Projectible from the housing is an extensible arm 15 of thelazy tong type. The crossed elements of this arm at the inner endthereof are pivotally connected at their points of intersection by apivot bolt or other suitable fastening device 1G which extends throughan arcuate slot 17 formed in the inner side wall of the housing.Securing one of such elements at its inner end to said side wall is apivot bolt or other suitable fastening device 18 while the other of saidelements carries, at its inner end, a stud or bolt 19 freely receivedthrough a vertical slot 2O in the inner side wall of the housing, Inthis connection it will, of course, be understood that the slot 17 isstruck on an arcconcentric to the pivot bolt 18. suitably connected tothe arm 15 is a plurality of streamers or other approved flexibleelements 21 depending from the arm and forming in connection therewith asignaling obstruction. At their lower ends the streamers preferablycarry suitable warning plates.

Secured to the inner side wall of the housing 14 in alinement with theslot 20 is an air cylinder 22 .in which is mounted to re- J will readilyenter the housing.

ciprocate a piston 23 having a piston rod 24 extending through the upperend of the cylinder and suitably connected to the stud 19. Surroundingthe piston rod above the piston head is a retracting spring 25 for thepiston and as will now-` be understood in view of the precedingdescription, this spring will normally act to orce the piston downwardlywithin the cylinder for shifting the stud 19 downwardly within the slot20 to accordingly retract the arm 15 with its streamers 21 within thehousing, the flared portions of the side walls being provided so thatthe Jfree ends of the streamers On the other hand, when air is admittedinto the cylinder 22 below the piston, the piston will be forcedupwardly for projecting the arm 15 and moving the signaling obstructionto active position extending in the rear of tho car.

ln connection with the signaling obstruction I provide a display signalwhich includes a casing 26 suitably secured to the rear of the caradjacent the lower end of the housing 14. This casing is provided withinner and outer lront panes 27. The inner pane may be translucent andpreferably bears the words Danger*llyes Right. The outer pane may betransparent. Suitably mounted upon the top of the casing is a springactuated curtain roller 28 carrying a curtain 29 movable between thepanes` Secured at one end toi the free end of the curtain is a cord orother suitable flexible element 30 which is, as particularly shown inFigs. 2 and 3, passed around suitable pulleys and is connected at itsopposite end to the stud 19. Thus, when this stud is shifted upwardlyfor projecting the signaling obstruction, the curtain will be releasedto be taken up by the roller 28 so that the signal sign carried by theinnermost od' the panes 27 will be exposed to view. 0n the other hand,when the signaling obstruction is retracted and the stud 19 is shifteddownwardly, the curtain will. be drawn down between the panes 27 forobscuring the signal sign. Mounted within the display signal casing isan electric lamp conventionally shown at 31. This lamp ,may be includedin the usual lighting circuit of the car so that at night the signalsign may be illuminatcd.

l further employ in connection with the signaling obstruction anddisplay signal, an audible signal as conventionally shown at 32. Thisaudible signal may be of any approved type such, for instance, as awhistle and is operated in a suitable manner by air coincident with theactuation of the signaling obstruction and the uncovering of the signalsign. As best shown in Fig. 2, the audible signal is preferably securedto the bottom wall of the display signal casing 26 but may, of course,be mounted at any other approved point.

Mounted adjacent each of the control boxes 12 at opposite ends or" thecar is, as particularly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a valve casing 33 inwhich is rotatably itted a valve plug 34 provided at its outer end witha suitable socket in which is removably engaged the inner endola footlever 35. The plug 34 is formed with a stem 36 upon the outer end ofwhich is removably lixed a collar 37. Connected at one end to thiscollar is a spring 38 surrounding the stem and connected at its oppositeend to the valve casing, the spring acting to return and normally holdthe valve plug in closed position. rlhe valve casing is provided withsuitable inlet and outlet ports and communicating with the inlet port isa pipe 39 leading from the storage tank 11 of the car while a pipe 4()is in communication with the outlet port of the casing and is connectedto a train line signal pipe 41 suitably mounted beneath the car. Asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the valve plug is provided with apassage 42 adapted t0 establish communication between the inlet andoutlet ports and is further provided with a passage 43 in com municationwith the passage 42 and adapted to register with avent passage 44through the casing. lnterposed in the pipe 41 is a three-way valve 45and leading from this valve is a pipe 46 communicating with the aircylinder 22, a suitable branch pipe being employed between the pipe 46and the audible signal 32 for supplying air to said signal. The pipe 41is provided so that a car may be coupled in a train when the pipes 1 ofthecars of the train will all be suitably connected. Under suchcontingency, it will be seen that all of the valves 45 of the severalcars may, with the exception of the valve at the rear ot the rearmostcar, be closed, so that only the signal at the rear of the train will`be operated when air is admitted. to the pipe 41 at the front of thetrain. Furthermore7 by employing the valve 45 the signal at the lirontof a car, when only one car is being used, may be cut oil'.

Mounted in spaced relation to the control valve oi the signal is, asparticularly shown in Fig. 5, a bracket 47 provided at its upper endwith a lug 48 and slidable through this lug is a locking rod 49 carriedby suitable guides connected to the adjacent end of the car. Journaledthrough the bracket 4'? and secured to the valve stem 36 is an extensionrod 50 and fixed upon this rod is a segment 51 with which the lower endof the locking rod 49 is arranged to cooperate, the rod normally ridingupon the upper edge of the segment and being engageable in a notch 52Jformed therein for locking the control valve open. As will be seen,when the foot lever 35 is depressed for opening the control valve therod i9 will drop intor the notch 52 when the control valve will be heldopen until the rod is againl raised. Fivotally mountedr upon the controlbox l2 at its upper end is a cam lever 53. adapted to coperate at oneend with the handle 13 and beingpivotally connectedat its opposite endto theupper end of the rod 49, Thus, when the handle 13 yis swung forstarting the car, the free yend of the cam lever will ibe depressed byysaid handle for elevating the locking rod e9 and accordingly releasingthe control valve, the spring Stlien immediately acting to close thevalve.

It is believed, ,in view of the precedingl description, that theoperation of my improved signal will be readily 'understood Since it isnecessary to operate'only the signal at the rear of thecar, thethree-way valve l5 at the front of the car is adjusted accordingly. Aspreviously explained, the signaling obstruction of the signal at therear of the car will normally be retracted while `the display signalwill also be obscured. Consequently, after a car headed in one directionis stopped and the motorman of the car sees another car coming from theopposite direction, he may press the foot lever of the control valve atthe front of the car when air will be admitted from the supply tank: 1lthrough the valve and through the pipes 40, ll and 46, to the aircylinder 22. rilhe signaling obstruction will then, as also previouslydescribed, be immediately projected to active position while the signalsign will be exposed to view. Furthermore, the audible signal will alsobe sounded. As will be seen, the possibilitiy of a pedestrian passingaround the rear end of the car at rest in front of the car approaching`from the opposite direction, will be reduced to a minimum. Should thepedestrian attempt to go around the signaling obstruction, suchpedestrian will then be a suilicient distance from the rear of the caras to be in view of the motorman of the car approaching. `When themotorman depresses the foot lever 35 of the forward control valve thelocking rod 49 associated with said valve will immediately function, aspreviously described, for locking the valve open, so that the signal atthe rear of the car will be maintained active until the motorman swingshis control box handle for releasing` the Valve when the signal will beimmediately rendered inactive. By this arrangement it will be seen thata signal will be given only when danger is actually present. To preventunauthorized actuation of the control valve, the Jfoot lever may simplybe removed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A signal of the character described including in combination with arailway car and control element therefor, an extensible signalingobstruction carried by the car,

means for retracting said obstruction, fluid pressure operated means forextending said obstructicn, a valve for controlling flow" of-` `lipressure to such means, means for locking the valve' open, andymeansoperable by' and control element therefor, an extensiblev `signalingobstruction, a signal sign, fluidA pressure,operated means for extendingsaid obstruction and'exposing the sign, means for retracting theobstruction and obscuring 'thek sign, a valvecontrollingl flow of fluidvpressure to saidv first mentioned means, means for lockingsaid valveopen, andmea'ns operable bysaid controlelement for 'releasing' saidlocking means and freeing the'valve. 'l

I 3. Asignal of the character described including a housing, an armcarried by the housing and extensible therefrom, streamers carried bythe arm and forming in `connection therewith a. signaling obstructionnormally collapsed within the housing, and means for extending saidobstruction from the housing.

, 4. A signal of the character described including an extensiblesignaling obstruction, a casing, a signal sign carried by the casing, acurtain for obscuring said sign, means normally tending to retract thecurtain for exposing the sign, fluid pressure operated means forprojecting said obstruction and freeing the curtain to expose the sign,and means for retracting the obstruction and moving the curtain toobscure the sign.

5. A signal of the character described including an extensible signalingobstruction normally retracted, 'Huid pressure operated means forextending said obstruction, a valve controlling the flow of fluidpressure to said means and including a valve plug spring pressed toclosed position, an extension rod engaged with the plug, a segmentcarried by said rod, and a locking rod enacting with the segment andmovable into locking engagement therewith for locking the valve open.

6. A signal of the character described including in combination withfarailway car and control element therefor, an extensible signalingobstruction normally retracted, Huid pressure operated means forextending said obstruction, a valve controlling flow of fluid pressureto said means and including a valve plug spring pressed to closedposition, an extension rod engaged with the plug, asegment carried bysaid rod, a locking rod gravitating to coact with the segment forlockingthe valve open, and a cam lever engaged with the locking rod andadapted to coact with said element to be shifted thereby when theelement is moved for starting the car wherebyv the locking rod will beraised and the valve plug released for movement to close the valve.

7. A signal of the character described including a lineally extensiblearm formed of crossed pivotally connected members, ay fluid pressureoperated piston connected tothe inner end of one of said members for extending the arm, andy yieldable means associated with said'piston forretracting the arm.

8. In a signal of the character described, the combination ofa lineallyextensible arm, streamers carried by the arm and forming in connectiontherewith a signaling obstruction, a casing normally supporting the armand said streamers housed therein, and meansfor extending theobstruction from the casing. e

9. A signal ofthe character described including in combination with arailway car and control element therefor, an extensible signalingobstructiennormally retracted, fluid pressure operated means forextending said obstruction, a normally closed Valye controlling flow offluid pressure vto said means, means for locking the valve open, andmeans operable by said element for releasing the valve. y

l0. A signal of the character described including in combination ywith arailway ear and power control element therefor, signaling means upon theear normally disposed in inactive position, means for shifting saidmeans to active position, means cony trolling the second means, andmeans operable by said element and coacting with the third means wherebywhen the element is moved the signaling means will be returned 40 toinactiye position.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

DONALD H. MCGOGY.

